BOC Jan collection jumps 23%

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) exceeded its January 2010 collection target by 23% to P17.35 billion from P14.09 billion, thanks to strong Philippine imports.

The surplus is expected to increase by another P3 billion once the Tax Expenditure Fund from the National Food Authority for its rice imports is factored in.

Compared to the January 2009 collection of P14.4 billion, last month’s take was also up 20%.

“We surpassed our January target without relying on a single centavo of Tax Expenditure Fund,” Customs commissioner Napoleon Morales said.

Only four ports failed to meet their respective targets in January: San Fernando, down 60.7% to P42 million; Cagayan de Oro, down 18.4% to P239 million; Zamboanga, lower by 36.4% to P1 billion; and Subic down 1.8% to P336 million.

On the other hand, the bureau commended the performance of the Port of Manila (POM), Manila International Container Port (MICP), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and the ports of Batangas and Limay.

POM’s collection went up 31% to P3.754 billion; MICP by 3.5% to P4.994 billion; NAIA, 2.4% to P1.307 billion; Batangas, 55.4% to P3.205 billion; and Limay, 66.3% to P2.455 billion.

This year, the BOC is tasked to collect P275 billion from the original P309.5-billion target set last year by the country’s economic managers.

The BOC is, however, still lobbying for a P10 billion reduction in target to P265 billion to reflect lost revenues due to lower import tariff as a result of several free trade agreements entered into by the Philippines since the start of the year.

Last year, the BOC posted a P53.81-billion shortfall, taking in only P219.47 billion vis-à-vis its target of P273.3 billion. BOC said its major collection districts failed to perform as expected and only smaller ports registered positive growth.